In The Beginning: A Maximum Ride Fanfiction
by ForeverABeethoven323
Summary: What happened before The Angel Experiment? What made Max and the flock who they were when we met them? And how exactly did they escape the School? Written in Third Person POV. Rated T due to possibilities.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, to start things off, this is my first fanfic. So please, bear with me. I'm trying to get a hang of everything. Second of all, this "Chapter" is kinda like a preview. Not really the full first chapter. I'm just kinda seeing what I'm working with here.  
I'm not going to beg for reviews, because it's totally your choice. But if you've got any reviews (positive or constructive criticism, please), go ahead and send away. :) I'm here to get better, after all.  
Oh, and to explain the whole idea of this (if you are even reading this thing, haha). It's kinda how I imagined the lab life of Max and the flock before The Angel Experiment. How they became who they are and that sort of thing. Their personalities will change as the story goes on, as well as there being time skips here and there. We'll just have to see.  
Now, on with the chapter! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride, any characters affiliated with Maximum Ride, or any plot comparisons to Maximum Ride, in any way, shape, or form.**

Third Person POV

"Let go of me! Let go!"

A little boy woke up to the sound of a little girl's screams coming from another part of the laboratory. He sat up in his medium sized dog crate, looking around for the source of the noise. Another kid was still sleeping in the crate next to him, seemingly unaware of what was going on.

"Shut up!" The boy heard something like a slap, and the girls screams again. The rough man's voice he had heard yelling at her before continued yelling words the boy had never heard before. The boy looked in the direction of the voices, and could faintly see the outline of a grown man making his way through the storage area.

_An Eraser, _the boy thought, and cowered back in his crate.

The Eraser was holding something by the arms, something that was wriggling and flailing, fighting against him. As they came closer, he saw that the thing was a girl. A girl with wings.

_A girl just like me._

The boy watched even more intent than before, coming forward in his crate again to get a better look. His small hands gripped the bars of the crate, and his face peeked out as far as it was allowed.

The Eraser came to a crate across the boys, stopped, and then threw the still squirming girl into it. Her tiny frame slammed into the metal bars at the back, and she let out a small cry of pain. The Eraser shut the crate door hard enough to rattle it, snarling at her while he did so. The girl wasted no time looking up and shooting the Eraser a glare that made the boy's blood run cold.

"Maybe next time you'll think twice before trying to escape," the Eraser growled. He left the room, rattling the girls crate first, then turning to smile evilly at the boy. The Eraser left the room, leaving the girl glaring behind him, and the boy watching in fear.

The boy watched the Eraser leave, and then turned his attention back to the girl. She had gripped the bars of her crate, shaking them with her skinny arms and screaming in frustration. Her hands pounded at the door, showing her anger. She noticed the boy and looked towards him; giving him the same glare she had given the Eraser.

"What're you looking at?" The girl's head was angled downward, the shadows casted on her face making her look even more intimidating. The boy's eyes widened and he backed up a little, obviously frightened. The girl rolled her eyes.

"Oh, jeez, kid. Are you really that scared?" She watched as he gulped and looked away, the expression on his face showing shame.

The girl looked at him and sighed. "You don't talk much, do you?" Fittingly, the boy said nothing, just shook his head no.

"Oh, alright," she said. "But, even if you don't say anything else, can you at least tell me your name?" She watched as the boy took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He opened them back up and summoned all the courage he could muster.

"Experiment number 3XK-4YJ-MB8C."

The girl blinked. "You haven't picked out a real name for yourself yet?"

He shook his head no again. The boy didn't even know what a real name was.

"Well, Mr. Experiment Number Whatever. My name is Maximum, because I'm the best." She looked at the boy, noticing the way he looked. He had smiled slightly, just so she could see the tips of his teeth. His canines were angled, like a fang, giving him a darker look. Those, along with his dark hair, dark eyes, dark wings and tanned skin, made him look darker, too.

"And, I think I'm going to call you Fang." The boy's eyes brightened a little more, and his smile grew.

_I have a real name, _he thought. _Just like Maximum. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, first of all, thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who read/reviewed/followed my story. I'm just happy someone even clicked on it. It really does mean something to me. :) (see, I even gave you a smiley face to prove it.)  
Second of all, my goal with this story is to update at least once a week. I'm not one for excuses, but I'm in high school ****_and _****college at the same time, doing duel enrollment, so there is hardly a day where I go without homework. But I will be writing on those homeworkless days, trust me. Oh, and I won't beg for reviews, our make them be required for an update. If you don't feel the overwhelming urge to say anything, you don't have to. I won't be stressed out from it, although they really are appreciated.  
Aaaand, number three. The chapters should be getting longer as the story developes (no promises though, and short chapters will be posted as fillers and mini storyline type things.) But trust me, I can't stand too short of chapters, so they will be my length approval.**

**Disclaimer: If I did own Maximum Ride, I wouldn't be posting a disclaimer, now, would I?  
. . . That's what I thought. **

**_TWO_**

Maximum seemed bent on escaping the lab. That was all she ever talked about.

"Okay, first, all we have to do is find a way to get out of these cages. Then, I can get you and that other boy out to the nearest opening. I heard some of the whitecoats say that we could do something called fly. Maybe, if we can find out what that means, we can get out of here."

Fang's eyes stayed steadily on her. For someone who had been hit multiple times by an Eraser, you'd think she'd eventually decide enough was enough.

Guess not.

Iggy was in the crate beside Fang, watching the girl with skeptical blue eyes. "How exactly do you know your way out of this place? And how do we know that you won't leave us if things get bad?"

_Good question, _Fang thought.

Maximum sighed a little. "Guys, really? I don't just want this for myself. I want this for everyone here."

Iggy's expression didn't change. He was really open about how little he trusted people.

Then again, none of them really trusted anyone. They didn't have much of a choice, given the way their short lives had gone.

"You know what?" Maximum glared at them, frustrated. "Just forget it. We can just stay here for all I care. I'm done."

Fang looked back and forth between Maximum and Iggy. She had pushed her back against one side of her crate, her feet pressing against the other. Iggy laid down in his crate, rubbing his eyes with his fists. Fang's mouth scrunched in thought.

They were all way too young to have to think like this.

In the two weeks that Fang and Iggy had known Maximum, they had heard more and more about the lab than they thought possible. She had been moved through six different halls, taken to a new one each time she had tried to escape. In one hall, there was another girl with tanner skin who was only a baby, barely able to crawl. She also had wings. In another hall, there was a kid covered in fur, with whiskers on its nose, slightly older than Maximum, Fang, and Iggy. That kid couldn't speak. Both of those rooms had been in the area of the building.

The next hall she was moved to, there were many kids who were covered in scales. Most of the experiments there didn't live past a week or more.

The fourth hall had mostly the experiments that were going insane. Most of Maximum's nights had been spent without sleep because the screams and cries were too loud. She had told Fang about trying to fall asleep curled up with her ears covered, but she could still hear them. That time, she had tried to break out simply to get away from that room.

Hallway number five was all older kids. They didn't want to listen to her, especially when they were about twice her size and three times her age. She didn't know what to do there either. The only good that came out of that room was knowing she wasn't the only one wanting to get out, and the comfort the older kids provided during the nights that were full of nightmares. But she knew she couldn't get too comfortable.

Number six's experiments were the only ones who had listened to her. And the only ones she could truly relate to. And that had been Iggy and Fang.

Fang pressed himself up against the side of his cage and sighed, running his small hand through his short, black hair. He knew he should be sleeping like the majority of the other experiments, but he also knew that he wouldn't rest anyway. In the next few hours, testing would begin.

There were always two ways the testing could go. It could be beneficial, meaning some kind of cookie and a box with juice in it, if the experiments cooperated. Or, it could be harmful, meaning getting roughly escorted out to your cage with no treat, if you didn't cooperate.

Fang, so far, had always cooperated. So hadn't Iggy. They didn't like the tests, but they liked the snacks.

He had a feeling that Maximum didn't get many snacks after the tests.

Fang sighed and rubbed his closed eyes with his fists, just wanting the next few hours to be over with. There never really was any particular way that they came to get the experiments; usually, they were gotten at random. In some weird way, Fang wanted to be first, just to get it done.

He stretched his arms and wings as far as they'd go in the small cage, ruffling his slightly grimy feathers a little to get the dust off of them and realigned. Cleaning day was still two days away, and he was filthy. At least they cared enough to clean them.

_Because, you know, it'd be mean to actually let us stay too dirty. That's being treated too much like animals, _he thought snidely, catching himself soon after. Maximum must've been rubbing off on him.

Suddenly, all of the lights came on in their storage room, blindingly bright in comparison to the usual dimness they lived in. Fang knew what this meant; he'd seen it once at least every other day. Soon, the Erasers would be coming to get the first round of chosen experiments, the first round of several.

Out of habit, Fang slid back farther into his cage, just enough to avoid too much damage. Just because he wasn't afraid of the tests didn't mean he wasn't afraid of the journey it took to get to them.

The Erasers began to file in, rattling cages as they passed. Fang heard some of the other experiments screaming and crying, begging to not be first as they were carried out. He didn't know what made their tests so scary in comparisons to his, and he didn't wanna find out.

An Eraser walked down the row of cages that Fang was on, snarling and growling as he passed. He stopped in front of Fang's cage, and Fang rolled his shoulders back and began to prepare himself, despite shaking. If there was anything Maximum had taught him in his time knowing her, it was that he couldn't show how scared he was. And he was working on that.

Fang inhaled deeply, still facing the side of his cage, preparing for the click he'd hear when his cage was opened. But the click he heard was too far away to be from his cage.

He looked to the side to see the Erasers grabbing the stubborn girl across from him roughly. Fang gulped and mentally wished her the best of luck.

Looked like Maximum would go for testing first this time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, so I said that I would update when I didn't have as much homework, and since my college classes are on Spring Break and I am a girl of my word, I have kept true to what I said.  
You're welcome. Haha.  
Thank you to all who sent me reviews. It still means quite a bit to me, and it really is helpful when it comes to writing to know that people actually approve. :) (see there? Another smiley face.)  
If you feel the overwhelming urge to review, go right ahead. As always, I won't beg. **

**Enough delay. Here's chapter three. **

**Disclaimer: I, foreverabeethoven323, have not owned, do not own, and never will own the Maximum Ride series, the plot of the series, or the characters affiliated with said series. The Maximum Ride series belongs to James Patterson.**

**_THREE_**

Maximum sat in a cold metal chair in the bright white room. In front of her, there was a white table; above that, a single bright light bulb. There was a chair just like hers across the table.

Her short legs swung above the floor, her bare feet hitting the bar on the chair with each passing. She rubbed her chapped lips together and looked around nervously, trying her hardest to keep the nerves from showing.

She would try to break out of the school, she would fight against Erasers with all her might, and she'd seem brave to anyone who ever needed it. But regardless of all that, she was still just a little kid.

The door opened and she saw him, the very same scientist she'd seen every time she came into the white room. The same one who would stop the Erasers from hurting her, who asked her if she was okay, who wanted her to feel safe.

Of all people in this horrible place, he was the only one she even remotely trusted.

"Hello, sweetheart," he said, just as he'd always greeted her with. Maximum's thin frame relaxed a little bit. The man knew better than to expect a smile out of her. He had watched her all her life, after all.

The man took his place across from Maximum, resting his hands on the table. He opened them up to show her a snack. The same snack she got every week.

A chocolate chip cookie.

He smiled as he saw her brown eyes warm a bit, and her small hand eagerly snatch the cookie out of his palm. This was the side of the experiments he wanted to see, not the scared, hurt, shaken one that came from living in a cage.

If he could just get them out of those cages. . .

"Now," he began. "Do you remember what we've talked about for the past few weeks?"

Maximum kept her eyes on the cookie, nibbling little pieces off of it here and there. "I am experiment number 4OY-KX3-Y2MB, this is the second lab I've been to, and the Erasers hate me."

The man's eyebrows knitted at the last statement. He sighed and shook his head. "How old are you, sweetheart?"

Her eyes glanced up to the ceiling in thought. "Four," she answered as her eyes darted back to her cookie.

"Very good," the man said with a smile. She never looked up at him, but he still knew she was listening. "So, sweetheart, is there anything new that's happened in the past week?" Anything to get her to talk more to him.

She looked over her cookie to him, her eyes wide and round. "I picked out a name for myself." She nibbled a little more on her cookie, visibly savoring each crumb that fell in her mouth.

The man allowed his eyes to brighten a bit. "Oh, really? And what might that be?" She was the first experiment to pick out a name for herself. All the others had just stuck with their number.

"Maximum," she stated simply. "I'm the best, so I thought it would be good." The man chuckled at the reasoning for her name, although it was true. Of all the experiments the lab had created, she had by far been the most successful. She was right, she was the best.

The man leaned forward on his elbows some, crouching down more to her level. "What if you shortened that name a little bit, give yourself a nickname? One that suits you just as much as 'Maximum' does." If he didn't know any better, he would've thought he'd seen the smallest hint of a smile on her little face.

"What kind of nickname?" She looked up at him, her eyes still wide.

"Max."

For the first time ever, Maximum smiled at the man. It wasn't big, it wasn't too happy, but it was a smile nonetheless.

She nodded. "Max," she said. "I like it."

He chuckled and smiled at her. "Good. Then it's settled, _Max._"

The man's watch beeped, signaling that their time was up. He watched as Max stiffened in her seat, preparing for the journey back. She shoved the rest of the cookie in her mouth, chewing it carefully in order to keep from choking.

The man got up and she followed, putting her small hand in his as they began to walk towards the door. He kneeled down to her level just before they got to the door, making it easier to talk to her.

"Max, one more thing before we go back out. Do you remember what I told you to call me last time we talked?" She nodded, her limp blond waves bouncing with her head.

"What did I say for you to call me?"

Max inhaled deeply and swallowed a little bit. His name was what gave her the idea to pick out a name for herself.

"You said," she began, then paused. "You said for me to call you Jeb."


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, guys. I'm gonna be honest on this one. I'm personally disappointed with this chapter. I think I could've done better, but oh well. This one's more for a filler than anything else.  
Trust me, there are so many things I wanna do with this story, you just don't even know. But first, I gotta get the plot line going.  
Also, forgive me for taking a little longer with the update. Trust me, it's driving me crazy. But I'm a student before I am a writer, and although my college spring break was last week, high school duty still calls. So, yeah. Time just hasn't been permitting.  
As always, comment/review if you feel like it. I shall not beg. But they still are appreciated. And thank you to those who have commented/reviewed already. Trust me, I read them, and they are great to have. :) (I graced you with another smiley. Feel privileged.) **

**Disclaimer: I'm not James Patterson. I do not own the Maximum Ride series. I'm just a girl with a computer and internet access and an imagination. Let up a little. **

_**FOUR**_

Max was led back to her cage by two Erasers; double that of the average experiment. Apparently, you try to run away a couple of times, and suddenly you're considered "untrustworthy."

Oh well.

By the time Max was back, Fang had already been taken to the white room. At least, Max assumed he was going to the white room. That was typically how it worked.

The other boy, Iggy, was still in the cage next to Fang's, sleeping as usual.

_Boy, does he love to sleep._

How he could ever sleep so much in a place like this, Max would never know.

Max sighed. All she wanted to do was get back out of the cage. To get out of the hall. To get out of the School.

Just to get out.

Her small hand rattled the lock on her cage, simply to find something to do. As she kept looking around, she was able to see her surroundings better.

Across the row from her, Fang's cage. To the right of him, Iggy. Further on to the right, empty cage, empty cage, empty cage . . .

So many empty cages. None of the experiments knew if the same person would fill the cage again or not. They didn't even know if the same person would be alive after testing.

Just because a lot of the experiments were young didn't mean they didn't see what was going on. That was the sad reality of life in the lab.

By the age of four, Max had seen kids beaten, starved, driven crazy, and killed. She had heard screams of agony, screams of fear, and screams of insanity. She'd met so many kids, never truly knowing how long they'd be alive.

And the other experiments wondered why she kept trying to get out . . .

Truth was, Max wouldn't stop at anything to get out of there. That's all she ever dreamed of. She had never seen the outside world, but she knew it had to be better than this.

* * *

Fang stared at the table in front of him. He would honestly rather be in the physical testing room, running on the treadmill, solving the mazes, or being shocked than be in the white room.

He hated the white room. So many questions, so much talking. All of which Fang wasn't a fan of.

The man in the long white coat came in, the same man who had been there every time. The man had always tried to get Fang to trust him, but so far, it had never worked.

Fang didn't think it would ever work.

The man sat in the chair in front of Fang, offering him a smile. He always smiled at Fang, even though he knew it would never work. One, Fang didn't trust the man, and the man knew it. Two, it was no secret among the scientists that Fang was painfully shy.

"Hey, buddy. How are you doing today?" The man stooped some to be in Fang's line of sight. As always, Fang said nothing.

The man sighed, and held out his hand, holding a pack of fruit snacks. Technically, he wasn't supposed to give the snacks before the questions were answered, but he knew that otherwise, many of these kids wouldn't get enough to eat. And most of the other scientists didn't care enough to make sure they were fed anyway.

Plus, the snacks usually coaxed the kids out of their shells a little.

Fang took the fruit snacks, opening them up and eating them one at a time. The man watched as Fang's eyes closed while each snack was savored, the same way he had done the last time he'd had them.

The man made a mental note, just as he had with Max. _3XK-4YJ-MB8C's snack of choice= fruit snacks. _

"Buddy? Are you going to talk to me today?" Fittingly, Fang just looked at him.

The man sighed, trying to think of somewhere to start. Fang ate his fruit snacks, content with the silence.

"Do you know a girl named 'Maximum'?" The man watched as Fang's head shot up, looking at him. He nodded, slightly unsure of where these things were going.

The man smiled, continuing with the questions. "Did you meet her before or after she picked out a name for herself?"

"After," Fang said, his voice barely audible.

"Oh," the man said. "I see."

More silence. This boy was less cooperative than a lot of the experiments. Not really out of rebellion or anything like that; he was just a kid of few words. Sometimes, that could be a good thing.

Times like this, however . . .

"So, buddy, do you have a name for yourself yet?"

Fang nodded a little, still eating on his fruit snacks.

The man nodded along with him, waiting for Fang to go further. Like always, Fang never did.

The man sighed. "What might that name be?"

"'Fang.' Maximum named me."

The man nodded. _At least I got a little more information on that question._

"Well, Fang. How about I tell you my name?"

Fang put down the empty fruit snack wrapper on the table and shrugged. The man took this as a yes and continued.

"Fang, my name is Jeb. Okay?"

Fang nodded. "Okay." His eyes darted to the door. It was time to go back to his cage. He'd rather be there than this room.

"Can I leave now?" His eyes were downcast and he swallowed tightly.

Jeb nodded with a small smile on his face. He'd get Fang to open up soon enough. He knew he would.

"Of course you can, buddy. We'll continue this next time, okay?"

Fang shifted in his seat before getting up. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, preparing to go back. He nodded and looked up at the man.

"Okay."


	5. AUTHORS NOTENOT A CHAPTER

I swore I'd never do this...

Guys, I'm so sorry. But I'm a major screw up right now, and I'm kinda sorta really behind on some school work, which I'm having to catch up on. On top of all that, I have the worst case of writers block that I think I've ever had.

Please forgive me. I know I personally hate excuses, and I hate when authors do this, but I'm gonna be behind for a while on this story.

MARK MY WORDS. THIS ISN'T OVER.

Bear with me, my dear hearts and gentle people. I will return to you all, just not yet.

With great apologies,

ForeverABeethoven323


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